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The Surf Scoter was still showing south of Garron Point, Co Antrim. (Gerard McGeehan).

8 Ruff were feeding on the short, cut grass at Lough Beg National Nature Reserve along with 100 Lapwing. 19 Gadwall were seen on the flooded grass in front of Church Island, along with 2 male Pintail. (Ciaran Burns).

Two Red Throated Diver were in Groomsport Harbour by the rocks at 4pm. Also present were Cormorants, Shag, Black Guillemots, Great Black-Backed Gulls, Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, Redshanks, Turnstone and Eider. (Kevin Kirkham-Brown).

A first winter Mediterranean Gull was roosting on the pontoon at Antrim marina with the Black-headed Gull flock. (Adam McClure).

A Red-throated Diver was with the Surf Scoter at Garron and 2 Great Northern Diver at Ballygalley (Joe Lamont, William Smiton).

The Surf Scoter is 1.5 miles south of Garron Point, Co Antrim (Stuart McKee)
It was showing well from the layby of the Tower Road/A2 Garron Road junction north of Carnlough c.D296219 (16:00) The bird has been reported a few times throughout the day and seems to be showing well.

At Whitehead were 12 Red-throated Diver and a group of approx 15 Bottlenose Dolphin close inshore. Portmuck had 30+ Red-throated Diver and 8 Harbour Porpoise (Ian Enlander)

4 Crossbill where at Jenkin Lough County Fermanagh (south of Fivemiletown). Six Whooper Swan were also in the fields at Cleen, one mile south of the town. (Clive Mellon)

A mixed flock of Redwing and Fieldfare were on the Lylehill Road on the junction with Bernice Rd which runs of the Mallusk Rd Newtownabbey. (Ivan Dalglish)

Our thanks to Neal Warnock for this picture of the Surf Scoter. Dessie Loughrey for the pic of a Buzzard. Also to Ed O'Hara for the Goosander. Dick Glasgow for the Sparrowhawk and Jay. Cecil Smyth for the Long-tailed Tit.

A redhead Goosander was off Glynn Station this afternoon in Larne Lough. (Neal Warnock).

9 Bullfinch, 5 male and 4 female were feeding on Sorbus bushes at the Grove roundabout in Ballymena this morning. (Iris Millar).

At Ballyquintin Point there were 42 Great Northern Diver, most close inshore, 1500+ feeding Kittiwake, 300 Razorbill and a Gannet. A further 27 Great Northern Diver were elsewhere on the Outer Ards at Quintin Bay (7), Knockinelder Bay (4), Cloughy Bay (4), Portavogie (6), Ballyhalbert (1, there were 8 yesterday), Ballywalter (4) and Ganaway Bay (1). (Richard Weyl).

Thanks to today's photographers, to Iris Millar for the picture of the Bullfinch, to Dick Glasgow for the pictures of the Jay and Red Squirrel and to Ed O'Hara for the picture of the Whooper Swans. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

All of us would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone who contributed news, pics or used this Blog by whatever media network, a very Merry Christmas. It is down to all of you that the blog remains as popular as ever. Looking back over 2013 we once again had some wonderful birds and pictures for all of us to enjoy, who knows what 2014 will bring - perhaps that elusive Ivory Gull! So please keep supporting the Blog, we couldn't do it without you.

The NIOC's annual photographic competition provides an opportunity for
bird photographers resident in Northern Ireland to share their work with a
larger audience. The show depends on the support of bird photographers like you
for content and of course it costs nothing to enter. This year they have
introduced a new Junior category for photographers who are aged 15 or under on
22nd January, 2014. If you know of anyone who would qualify please let them
know about this and encourage them to enter. Remember sophisticated camera
equipment is not essential. Perfectly good photographs can be taken on Point
& Shoot cameras or even Mobile Phones.

Full details of the competition
Rules, a Code of Conduct, FAQs and Categories can be viewed on the club's
website www.nioc.co.uk and Entry Forms can be downloaded.Also on view are pictures of the various
trophies including the latest award for the new Junior category. You will also
find background details for David Cottridge who will be judging the entries for
the 2014 show and who will be delivering the 2014 Sam Penney Memorial lecture
'Birds of the Sacred Mountain, Nepal'.

The Work of Northern Ireland Bird
photographers 2014 will be shown in the Lecture Hall of the Ulster Museum on
19th March, 2014. The club now has to pay for the use of this accommodation and
so there will be a small charge for those who wish to attend. For NIOC members
admission is £1:00 and for non-members it is £3:00. So if you are a keen bird
photographer please consider entering one of the categories but do please take
note: the last date for submission of entries is Wednesday, 22nd January, 2014

The Ring-billed Gull was still in the car-park at Carrickfergus harbour and 3 Little Egrets were at Ballycarry Bridge. (Philip West).

Thanks to todays photographers, to Dick Glasgow for the pictures of the Tree Sparrows and Coal Tit at Breen Wood, to Cecil Smyth for the pictures of the Grey Phalarope and the Fieldfare and to Kevin Kirkham-Brown for the pictures of the Spoonbill. You can see more NI bird pictures at www.nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk

The adult Ring-billed Gull was still at Carrickfergus Harbour and an adult Mediterranean Gull at Greenisland Sea Park (Gerard McGeehan).

A Snow Bunting was on Slieve Gullion, Co. Armagh. (David Knight).

8 Little Egrets were feeding along the edge of the small lagoon by the causeway to the Quoile Pondage. (Tony Donaldson).

A single Pink-footed Goose was at Lough Macnean, Co Fermanagh (no Now Goose this year) and 2 Goosander at Lough Alowney,South Donegal (Brad Robson)

Thanks to Cameron Moore for the three pictures of the same Mediterranean Gull with the leg ring 32LU taken in July, November and yesterday at Sandy Bay, Larne, to David Knight for the picture of the Snow Bunting from Slieve Gullion and to Tony Donaldson for the picture of the Little Egrets at the Quoile.

Welcome

This site is run by a voluntary group of birders documenting and recording information about the birds and wildlife of Northern Ireland. We provide information on rarities and interesting sightings so that others can enjoy. The sightings on this blog are not accepted records - rarities need to be confirmed, see https://nirbc.blogspot.co.uk/